The Moving Image Source Calendar is a selective international guide to retrospectives, screenings, festivals, and exhibitions.
Descriptions are drawn from the calendars of the presenting venues.
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Poetry, Paradox, Politics: The Films of Jerzy Skolimowski
July 1-15, 2009 at
Melbourne Cinémathèque
, Melbourne, Australia
Long and tangled threads of irony, absurdity, poetry, and fantasy link the deeply political work of Jerzy Skolimowski (b. 1938), a director and actor whose life began in the belly of war-torn Poland. Skolimowski entered college only as a means of avoiding military service. His encounters with the world of literature, however, sparked his love affair with the written word and by his early 20s he was already an accomplished poet and writer. His love of jazz added another dimension to his restless filmmaking style, particularly his penchant for improvisation, and also brought him into contact with composer Krzysztof Komeda and subsequently filmmakers of the Polish School including Andrzej Wajda and Roman Polanski, connections and interests that would provide fruitful collaborations at various points in his career.
This carefully selected season of imported 35mm prints provides a provocative sample of Skolimowski's politically explosive filmmaking trajectory and includes his "Andrzej Leszczyc trilogy" (Identification Marks: None, Walkover and Hands Up!), key works of his non-Polish career (Deep End, Moonlighting), as well as the Melbourne premiere of Four Nights with Anna, his return to filmmaking after a 16-year hiatus.
Featured Works:
Identification Marks: None (1964, pictured); Walkover (1965); Barrier (1966); Hands Up! (1967-1981); Deep End (1971); Moonlighting (1982); Four Nights with Anna (2008)
Program information:
Poetry, Paradox, Politics: The Films of Jerzy SkolimowskiRelated Articles:
Pure Escapes by Chris Fujiwara posted Jul. 10, 2009
